Growing Pains: When Motherhood Hurts
In the busy and often mundane rush of life, it is hard to remember how important the daily moments of our lives with our little ones are. These are the moments that not only form our children as people, but they are the moments that we are supposed to be using to become better people ourselves. Whether it is endless dishes and laundry with toddlers at your feet, crying babies in the middle of the night, or disrespectful teens, these moments and how we respond to these moments will serve to shape not only our children’s characters, but ours as well.
These are all opportunities to grow as people. In the quest for the perfect homes, and the perfect schedules, and the perfect children, it is easy to forget that our lives here on earth are not supposed to be perfect, but instead the chance to continually strive to perfect our characters in the ways that truly matter.
It is easy to be comfortable, to just maintain the status quo, but like nothing else in our lives, our motherhood will force us to change and grow whether we want to or not. I don’t know about you, but I remember experiencing “growing pains” as a child. According to the Mayo clinic (mayoclinic.org), these physical pains are most likely not due to actual growing and “there’s no evidence that growth hurts”, but I know from experience, that personal growth really does hurt. If you think back to labor, you know how much pain is required to bring a life into this world, but the greatest pain lies in stretching yourself to take on the new responsibilities and cares of motherhood.
I remember feeling incredibly strong after having gone through a natural labor, only to realize later, that labor was only the beginning. Labor is easy compared to the motherhood moments that cause your heart to ache and the moments when you are called to give still more of yourself, to serve even when you are emotionally and physically drained.
If you are feeling discouraged as a mother, and like you just can’t seem to get anything right, think back to an earlier time in your motherhood. Maybe you have two toddlers and a newborn, and you remember the days when having one newborn was hard. It was hard then, but now, you have stretched and grown. Or maybe you have a teenager, and you think back to the days when you had a first grader.
You had challenges then, but now, you have stretched and grown to accommodate new struggles. Whether you are in the stage of your first newborn, or you are dealing with a strong willed teenager, the challenges you are facing are very real. There will always be hardships at any stage in life. They are the challenges you have been given to become the person God is shaping you to be.
Motherhood is hard sometimes, but you were made to be a mom. You were made to cherish and love your little ones, and you were made to help them learn and grow into good people and responsible adults, until they are ready to begin the journey on their own. But no matter how old they become, they will never truly be on their own, because you will be rejoicing in their successes, and praying during their hardships no matter how far away they go.
Citations:
Mayoclinic.org, Mayo Clinic. “Growing pains: Symptoms and Causes”. Created August 13, 2019; Accessed 23 October, 2019.
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